To Forget
by thegirlwiththechicken
Summary: After the war Hermione returns to Hogwarts to finish her final year, but what she really needs is to forget the pain of loosing the ones she loved. But what is it that the new Muggle Studies teacher left America to forget? And why is Draco Malfoy being so nice?
1. Chapter 1

Hermione felt her stomach jolt nervously as she climbed onto the Hogwarts Express to start her seventh and final year at Hogwarts. After taking a one year gap to help her two best friends defeat Voldemort; the most evil wizard in the history of magic, she was finally returning to finish her exams. Though Hermione loved school and learning as much, if not more than her sort-of-boyfriend Ron Weasley, she couldn't help but wonder if she would really enjoy her final year without the presence of Harry and Ron to stop her feeling as lonely as she did at the start of her first year. She also wondered how she would fill in her spare time now she would no longer have them badgering her to do their homework.

She was quickly jolted out of her angst however, because a girl with flaming red hair was squealing her name through the glass of one of the compartments. Ginny Weasley was Ron's sister, and she was returning to Hogwarts to complete her sixth year after the second wizarding war, and the almost completely irrevocable damage to the school somehow managed to disrupt her first attempt at the first half of NEWT studies. Ginny was currently dating Harry, saviour of the wizarding world, and one of Hermione's best friends. She was also Ron's sister, though you could only have guessed that from appearance only. Ginny had definitely inherited much more bravery and wisdom from her parents than any of her brothers.

As Hermione took a seat beside at Ginny, she noticed opposite her was Loony Lovegood. Sorry, that should have read Luna Lovegood, though the aforementioned is also applicable. Luna, like Ginny was also in her sixth year at Hogwarts. Things had changed a lot for Luna over the past few months, now rather than being recognised as weird girl that hung around with Harry Potter, she was recognised for being the weird girl that was shacking up with the sex god that is Neville Longbottom.

No, your eyes aren't playing tricks, the boy that currently had his tounge down Luna's throat was actually being heralded as sexy after six years of teasing over his appearance and rather unfortunate name. Hermione was pleased that Neville was finally getting some positive attention, and his bravery was being rewarded. After all, when all of Hogwarts had given up it was Neville that stood up to Voldemort, just like he stood up to Harry at the end of his first year. Fortunately for Neville, Voldemort hadn't the sense to cast Petrificus Totalas like Hermione did all those years ago, otherwise the jokes may never have ceased.

Looking around at her three friends she felt foolish for thinking she would be bored or alone without Harry and Ron. Sure, she might not see much of Luna and Neville except the sides of their faces but she still had Ginny. Ginny was as obsessed with quidditch as Harry was, even thinking of applying for the Holllyhead Harpies at the end of her schooling, so she still had somebody she could nod along and pretend to listen to about sports. Now all she needed was somebody as brash and obnioxious as Ron.

"Move along Granger!" A blonde boy said before ramming himself between herself and Ginny. Draco Malfoy was definitely not the person she had in mind to make up the rest of the Silver Trio, even after he had realized what an idiot he had been and apologised in his own way for his constant bullying of Hermione and her friends. Incidently, his own way of apologising was telling her that "mudbloods aren't that bad, I suppose."

"What are you doing in here? Isn't there a first year you should be bullying?" Ginny clearly hadn't got over the many jibes Malfoy had made over her hair and lack of money, because her wand was drawn and Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that if the boy didn't evacuate the compartment in five seconds a bat boogy hex would narrowly miss Hermione and hit Draco square in the face. For fear of being the unfortunate person hit with one on Ginny's curses, Hermione quickly grabbed the wand from the redhead.

"Just let him stay," Hermione told Ginny. For this one act of mercy Hermione was rewarded by Ginny and Draco staring at her like she had grown an extra two heads and announced she was going to live in the forbidden corridor. Even Neville and Luna had come up for air and proceeded to stare at her with wide eyes.

"What?" Hermione glared at the group. "Sure he's a snake, but he's a reformed snake..." She glanced at Malfoy who nodded in support of her argument, but the other three didn't look convinced. The compartment remained silent for a while until a sloshing sound announced that Luna and Neville obviously thought further time spent discussing the matter would ruin precious kissing time. Hemione didn't blame them though, even if it did remind her of Lavender and Won-Won. Neither of them had been afforded any attention from the opposite sex until now. Clearly they were just making up for lost time.

Ginny picked up a battered copy of Quidditch through the Ages in an obvious attempt to distract herself from the scene unfolding before her, and to avoid any interaction with unwelcome company. This left Hermione and Draco to try and start a conversation that didn't end with one of them being hexed or punched.

As it happened, it was pretty easy to have a conversation with Malfoy, they spent a good half hour discussing the vampires coming out of the coffin revelation. Though it had little impact on the wizarding community, it still begged the question of whether wizards and witches would one day join them. Ginny even joined the conversation after Malfoy managed to buy her affections with a large amount of sweets from the trolley.

"I even heard Dad say werewolves were concidering telling muggles about themselves!" Ginny said though large bites of red vines. "It's a shame poor Lupin isn't here to be able to see it."

The sound of Professor Lupin's name stung Hermione deeply. She feared she would never get over the deaths of the people that died to save the world from Voldemort. Draco seemed to sense Hermione's pain because he put an awkward arm around her. This act of kindness from someone like Malfoy was almost too much for Hermione, and she stood up and grabbed her handbag.

"I'm just going to get changed, the sun's setting so we'll be at Hogwarts soon." She barely managed to get the door locked before she broke down in tears. Too much was changing too fast. She didn't want to be comforted by somebody that hated her only a year ago. She didn't want to be mourning for friends that should never have died. And she almost certainly didn't want to be caught with bleary eyes and mascara running down her cheeks by a very attractive vampire checking to see if she was alright.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A huge thank you to everyone who has followed this story so far. I never thought anyone would be interested in it because it's such an unusual niche. Feel free to leave me a review to let me know what you think so far.**

"Is something wrong?" The pale man leaning over her asked. His pale flawless skin was a dead giveaway that this man was a vampire, and Hermione had to struggle to ignore the urge to shout at him that there was very clearly something wrong, and instead asked him in the most polite manner possible to "get lost."

Instead of leaving, the vampire moved her aside and stepped into the bathroom, closing the broken door behind him. "That's just rude little one, I was merely showing concern to your apparent distress."

"There are plenty of places you can shove you concern," Hermione snapped. "Towards my distress is not one of them. Now if you don't mind, I have to get dressed for the feast!"

The vampire laughed, shaking his head and turning for the door. "Fine, I'll leave you to sulk, but you really should watch your mouth before speaking to a teacher like that. It's a shame a pretty young girl like yourself is going to have to spend her first night at school in detention." With a smirk the vampire left, leaving Hermione's mouth hanging open.

"Teacher?" She mouthed to herself in astonishment. Why would professor McGonagall hire somebody that couldn't do magic to be a teacher? She quickly rushed to get dressed, and gave her face a splash with water before heading back to her friends, and Malfoy.

"You won't beli-" She began as she opened the door to the compartment, but quickly shut her mouth as she saw the man who had taken her seat. She had only been rid of that wretched vampire five minutes!

"Nice to see you again so soon, miss... I'm sorry you were too busy shouting at me before to give me your name." The vampire smiled sexily at her while Ginny sat mouthing "you shouted at a teacher?"

"Hermione Granger," she told him in a more polite tone than she had earlier used. "I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you before Professor, it was quite out of character I can assure you."

The vampire nodded, "you will have plenty of time to show me how out of character it was tonight in detention. I was just here to introduce myself to your friends as the new muggle studies teacher."

Hermione looked at the floor, shame faced as she realized she had shouted at a professor, though feeling pleased she would not have him for a teacher herself as she had dropped muggle studies after third year.

"I'll see you all at the feast," he told them as he walked past. "I might just have one of you as the main course!" He flashed his fangs at them jokingly, but it was enough to send Neville flying out of his seat. Poor Neville that had destroyed Voldemort's most frightening horcrux was afraid of vampires, Hermione hoped for the sake of his "cool factor" that the news would not get out.

In a flash the teacher was gone, and Luna helped Neville to his seat. Then they all turned to Hermione with one question written all over their lips.

"You shouted at a teacher?" Malfoy asked with a grin, clapping as if he found the idea hilarious. "Teacher's pet Granger actually shouted at a teacher!"

Hermione made an extra special attempt to elbow Malfoy as she sat down. "And now I have detention on my first night back at school. Yes Malfoy, bloody hilarious!"

"I just can't believe we have a vampire teaching muggle studies. What use will he be?" Neville asked.

"My Dad says some vampires can fly! I wonder if he can?" Luna commented dreamily.

"Don't be silly Luna," Ginny told her. "Vampires can fly about as well as Spectrespecs can see nargles!"

"But they can see nargles!" Luna told her affrontedly. "I designed them remember!"

Hermione sensed this would be a good time to get things back down to reality and answered Neville's question. "I suppose it does make sense. Who would know better than a vampire what muggles are really like. They've spent hundreds of years trying to imitate their behaviour as a way to fit in with them."

"Well I don't like him!" Malfoy announced. "Did yo see that look on his face? He thinks he's better than everyone else!"

"Where does that sound familiar?" Ginny asked, causing everyone to giggle at Malfoy's expense.

"I'm a reformed character," Malfoy said while glaring at Ginny. "It's not my fault I was born being told how brilliant I am."

"Yes Ginny!" Hermione said, elbowing her playfully. "Let us all bask in the brilliance that is Draco Malfoy!"

The rest of the journey seemed to fly by, the majority of it being spent teasing Malfoy mercilessly. Hermione found herself wishing she never had to leave the train, but quickly shot up as her stomach started to grumble.

They exited the train and chose a carriage to take them up to the castle. Hermione noted miserably that there were less carriages than usual. She also noticed that she could finally see the creatures that pulled them. "There's not many of you left now," she said sadly as she stroked the thestral's skeletal head. It nuzzled up against her hand in response.

She spotted the vampire professor staring at the creature in awe. Clearly he had never seen a thestral before, though she should have expected that from someone that was not of wizard descent. The professor caught her staring and grinned mischeviously. "I suppose I'll just get a ride with you five then," he told her, and Hermione groaned inwardly.

"I don't think I told you before, I'm Eric- I mean Professor Northman. Sorry, but it's strange calling myself a professor." Professor Eric Northman climbed up into the carriage first, giving Hermione a good look at his backside. Ginny caught her staring and gave her a playful shove before the professor turned towards them and offered Hermione his hand to pull herself up.

She accepted it cautiously, almost gasping as she felt the coldness of his hand. Though he wasn't freezing she had almost forgotten he would not have a human temperature. Ginny climbed in next followed by Malfoy, who squeezed himself in between Hermione and Professor Northman. When everyone was sat down the thestral began taking them to Hogwarts, and Hermione glanced up at the castle in amazement.

The witches and wizards involved in restoring the castle had done a brilliant job. All of the towers looked as though nothing as devastating as the final battle could ever have happened there. Hermione wasn't sure how to feel about this, and she feared she would struggle going back into the Great Hall without remembering all of the bodies that lay there less than half a year ago.

She grabbed Draco's hand as images of Fred, and Lavender and Tonks flooded her mind. After a second of unsurety, Draco squeezed Hermione's hand. Instead of being annoyed at him comforting her, she found herself relaxing. That was until Ginny kicked her hard.

"You have a boyfriend remember!" She hissed from across the carriage. Hermione blushed and removed her hand from Malfoy's. Why Ginny would think there were any feelings between Hermione and Malfoy, she had no idea. She was only seeking comfort, something she knew Ginny would need in a few moments. It was for that reason she stopped herself from becoming annoyed at her friend, and forced herself to be strong.

When they decended the carriages and looked towards the gates of Hogwarts Castle, Hermione heard Ginny whimper. Without a second's thought she grabbed her friend's hand and helped her take those difficult first steps back to where it all began.


End file.
